A relative dumps me

I'm actually proud of this one.

A little history. This relative is another cousin once removed. Carol is so religious it is scary, but to her credit, she and her husband run two churches in their town so it is their livelihood.

Last year I had several discussions with her about the origins of morality and evolution. She told me that I was completely and utterly wrong when I suggested that man invented religion to explain the unexplainable and then later to control the masses. When I suggested some reading material she declined. I was so disenchanted that I withdrew from the family email and immersed myself into fighting this kind of arrogance.

This past month I felt prepared to deal with her and rejoined the group. I immediate hurled an attack on the Iraqi War in such a way I knew would get her attention. She responded immediately, but changed the subject by making it look like I was picking on Christianity when I was actually pointing out how Christianity influenced our president into entering this crazy war.

She also included this passage:

"Your attack still is with Bush being Christian. So much of what you inserted was about God speaking to Bush - and as a Christian, I know that happens to every one of us - you too - but you choose to claim you personally have more knowledge than God and you have somehow gotten the idea that it is your mission to change the minds of Christians - to follow your belief. When we talked before, I felt I was the one to change your mind. However, I realized I was not. I am still not the one to change your mind but - it is now my mission to state my mind and beliefs as strongly as yours - which I have the right to do - knowing we are never going to agree. - ultimately that makes the conversation futile - and a waste of both our times."

I won't include the whole email in this post for obvious privacy reasons, but notice how she assumes lots of things about me like I really do believe in her god but am denying it for whatever reason. I especially like the part where she thought it was her mission to convert me, and assumes what my mission was. I never stated I was going to change her, my goal was for her to give me information that she bases her opinions on about the Iraq War. That was it. In her delusional mind she turned it around to this. Brilliant!

In response to this particular email I wrote:

"Carol, I reread your last email and realized you and I are discussing two completely different things. I thought we were discussing the Iraqi War and now I see that you thought we were discussing religion. It never occurred to me discuss religion with you so if you read that into my emails you are mistaken. If you would like for me to answer your last email please let me know. I only referred to Bush's Christianity because it was relevant to the discussion. That was it. I would feel the same way, and many other moderate Christians do, if I was a Christian. My atheism as NOTHING to do with Bush being a Christian and starting this war because of his beliefs. I'm sure you know this and I assumed as much. Please reread my emails with this in mind and I'm sure you'll have something completely different to write about. If not, then that will be even more interesting!"

That was dated May 15 and I have yet to hear from her.

In another discussion I had with a Christian relative several years ago, she also accused me of knowing everything or knowing more than god. Do they really think that's the only way to be an atheist? Are they being arrogant by stating this? How do they even come up with this?